Somalia roadside bomb kills Puntland State officer and soldiers on Bosaso-Dhaadaar road

BOSASO, Somalia — A roadside explosion struck a mine-sweeping vehicle on the new road linking Bosaso and Dhaadaar on Sunday morning, killing at least three members of Puntland State’s security forces and wounding more than five others, officials said.

The blast occurred as security units were conducting a clearance operation along the route, according to security sources. The vehicle was working to detect and neutralize suspected explosives when the device detonated.

Those killed include Jama Mohamed Caduur, known as Afdhishiike, the logistics commander of the Dayax Organization, as well as a mine-detection officer and the vehicle’s driver, the sources said. Several other soldiers sustained injuries, some of them serious.

Medical and military teams were dispatched to the scene, and the wounded were evacuated to hospitals in Bosaso for treatment. Security forces sealed off the area following the explosion, deployed additional troops to secure the corridor and opened an investigation. Authorities temporarily closed the Bosaso–Dhaadaar road while clearance and security operations continued.

Puntland State officials did not immediately say who was responsible for the attack and said further details would be released once the investigation is completed. No group has claimed responsibility.

The attack comes days after Puntland State authorities withdrew most of their forces from the Calmiskaad mountains in the Bari region, where a nearly yearlong operation has targeted Islamic State-aligned militants. Security officials say the group’s presence in Calmiskaad has been significantly weakened, although small cells remain in hiding, particularly around the Baallade stream.

Officials said mobile units are continuing operations to track down and eliminate remaining fighters. The drawdown from the mountain strongholds has shifted attention back to key road corridors, where the risk of hidden explosives remains high.

Puntland State has faced persistent threats from militant groups despite intensified security campaigns, with roadside bombs and targeted attacks a recurring danger for forces operating across the region. Sunday’s blast underscores the hazards of route-clearing missions and the continued vulnerability of newly opened or strategically important roads to improvised explosive devices.

By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.